Belize-Flagged Cargo Ship Damaged After Hitting Explosive Near Odesa Port

A Belize-flagged cargo ship was damaged in an explosion near the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk in the Odesa region on August 31, according to Ukrainian and international reports.

The vessel was identified as the NS Pride, a bulk carrier built in 1988, measuring 95 meters in length and 16 meters in width, with a deadweight capacity of 3,376 tons.

Two sources told Reuters that the vessel hit an unknown explosive device while sailing close to the port. The blast caused only minor damage, and the crew members were unharmed. Local reports confirmed that the ship had no cargo on board at the time and was able to continue its voyage.

Ukrainian media outlet Dumskaya reported that the explosion may have been triggered by debris from an unexploded Shahed drone shot down the previous day, which later detonated beneath the vessel.

Ukraine’s Navy spokesperson, Dmytro Pletenchuk, also confirmed the incident. He said there were no casualties among the crew and the ship was undergoing inspection. According to him, the vessel had only minor damage.

Pletenchuk said the Black Sea is still dangerous because of explosive devices left by Russian forces. He added that it is impossible to predict where such hazards may appear, but Ukrainian authorities are taking measures to protect civilian shipping.

The explosion happened shortly after Russian drone strikes targeted Odesa overnight on Sunday. The attack caused heavy damage to energy facilities, leaving parts of the region without electricity.

The incident also came just three days after another Russian strike on a Ukrainian Navy vessel on August 28. That attack killed two sailors, while several others remain missing.

Chornomorsk is a major seaport in Ukraine’s southern Odesa region and one of the three Ukrainian ports currently operating under a maritime transport corridor that links the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea.

Reference: Reuters

Source: Maritime Shipping News